Stronger, Louder, Together!
Learning Disability England has been working in partnership with Turning Point.
We have made a guide to help people with learning disabilities, their families and support staff understand DNRs.
Read more “DNR: A guide for understanding your rights and challenging decisions”
VLOG (video blog) by Gary Bourlet, Membership and Engagement Lead with Roy Hayes, self advocate
In his latest VLOG, Gary looks at the local lockdown measures that are now in place across Greater Manchester and parts of West Yorkshire.
Gary explores what you can and can’t do under local lockdown, and interviews Roy Hayes, a self advocate living in Calderdale to find out what life is really like.
Blog by Gary Bourlet, self advocate and Membership and Engagement Lead for Learning Disability England
Read the easy read version here
Listen to the audio recording here
I think it is quite clear there is a lack of understanding from ministers and government officials about accessible information and the importance of it for so many people.
People with learning disabilities and/or autism need guidance about face coverings, DNR, Covid 19 testing, Shielding, Vaccine etc.
They rely on it just like the rest of us, but often need it in an easy read format.
Read more “In a world where guidance is changing daily, where is the accessible information?”
Our new Covid Response Funding grant pot in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care is now open for applications.
It is aimed at self-advocacy organisations and family carer organisations.
Each organisation can apply for up to £5,000.
Read the easy read funding criteria to see if you are eligible to apply
Sue Sharples has used a Winston Churchill Memorial Fund grant to travel to the USA and Canada to help us all to learn their lessons around preventing abuse and promoting sexual health for people with learning disabilities.
Sue’s research had found that people with a learning disability in England are four times more likely to be sexually abused than other citizens.
Read more “Love Care:fully – sexual safety for adults with a learning disability”
We know things are happening quickly as we move out of lockdown.
We know it can be hard to find up to date and accessible information you can trust.
So thanks to some money from DHSC we’ve updated our Coronavirus Hub.
The Accessible Information Campaign is a campaign to make information more accessible for everyone.
They want to press the government to act on its promises about making information accessible.
It is led by self advocate campaigners.
They are worried because there has not been enough accessible information shared by the government, especially during the Covid 19 outbreak.
Kaliya Franklin is a well known disability rights campaigner who worked for LDE between April 2014 and May 2019.
Kaliya helped to found Learning Disability England.
Kaliya has been asked by IPPR to join their advisory board to help make sure that the work they are doing on social security includes disabled people.
Blog by Wendy Burt, Representative Body Co Chair – Family and Friends, and Paula Strike
I have 2 amazing sons who both happen to have a learning disability, I have been so thankful during this pandemic that they still live at home with my husband and I, we haven’t had to be separated and unable to see each other as many families who have loved ones in supported living or residential care have found themselves.
The thought of not being able to physically see my sons for 3 months would have been an incredibly difficult challenge for me, it’s so good to hear that as the lockdown is easing families have been able to spend time with their loved ones again.
A video blog by Gary Bourlet, Membership and Engagement Lead at Learning Disability England
The rules about wearing face coverings in England change today, the 24th July.
Gary has made a video blog to help everyone understand about these new rules.
Self-advocacy, the pandemic and working together
Blog by Gary Bourlet, Membership Lead and spokesperson in our team as well as a self advocate of long standing
This virus outbreak has shown that self-advocates can be independent, hardworking and can adapt to change.
They have shown that they can learn new skills such as using zoom and other technology.
Read more “Self-advocacy, the pandemic and working together”